Conventionally, connectors such as board to board connectors, etc., have been used to electrically connect pairs of parallel circuit boards to each other. Such connectors are attached to each of the mutually facing surfaces of pairs of circuit boards. When the connectors are mated together, an electrically conductive connection is established between the connectors. A technique was proposed to prevent the electrically connected state from being canceled even when the connectors are subjected to an external force or the like (e.g., see Patent Document 1).
FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional view of a conventional connector.
The figure shows a first housing 811 serving as a housing of a first connector mounted to a first circuit board 891, and a second housing 911 serving as a housing of a second connector mounted to a second circuit board 991. A plurality of first terminals 861 are disposed on the first housing 811, and a plurality of second terminals 961 which are in contact with the first terminals 861, are disposed on the second housing 911.
In addition, lock levers 851 are disposed on the first housing 811, and are operable to lock the second housing 911 after the second housing 911 is mated with the first housing 811. Each of the lock levers 851 includes a spring 853. Once the first housing 811 and the second housing 911 are mated together, the extending spring 853 exerts a force on the lock lever 851 to make the distal end part 852 of lock lever 851 advance into and engage with an engagement hole 951 formed on the second housing 911. Hence, even when an external force or the like acts on the first housing 811 and the second housing 911 in the mated state, the first housing 811 and the second housing 911 stay mated with each other and the electrically connected state between the first housing 811 and the second housing 911 can be securely maintained.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H04-368783